Role of Instructional Leadership in the Academic Performance of Public Primary Schools in Nyeri Central Sub County, Nyeri County, Kenya

Abstract

The aim of this study was to find out the role of instructional leadership in the improvement of academic performance of public primary schools in Nyeri Central Sub County, Nyeri County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were head teacher’s evaluation of professional documents; professional development of teachers; head teacher’s involvement in classroom instruction, and head teacher’s instructional materials’ acquisition. The study was anchored on instructional leadership model and contingency theory of leadership as well as supported by trait theory and situational leadership theory. Schools were stratified into 12 high performing and 22 low performing which had posted a mean score of 250 and above and below 250 in KCPE in the period 2012-2017 respectively. A total of 17 schools representing 50% of the total population were proportionately selected from each stratum using purposive sampling according to their performance. Teachers were selected through simple random sampling. The study used descriptive survey design on a target population of 34 head teachers and 510 teachers in 34 public primary schools. 17 schools and 102 teachers were purposively selected while 17 head teachers were purposively sampled. Primary data was collected using questionnaire and interview schedules. Quantitative data analysis was aided by SPSS version 28 and presented by use of tables that show frequencies and percentages as well as inferential (chi-square test) statistics were used. Qualitative data collected was analyzed as per each objective using theme. The study found that there was a direct link between head teachers’ evaluation of professional documents, professional development and evaluation of teachers, involvement in classroom instruction, budgeting, scheduling and facilities management with the academic achievement of the pupil. The study concluded that all head teachers should regularly evaluate professional documents so as to improve academic performance through introduction of combative strategies, head teachers should play an active role in the professional development of the teachers in their schools through encouraging them to undergo in-service training, all head teachers should be involved in classroom instruction and set a good example in classroom instruction and head teachers should be directly involved in material acquisition for use in instruction in their schools so as to ensure relevance and quality achievement by pupils is achieved. The study recommends that learning documents used by teachers in their delivery needs to be regularly checked and assessed by education directors, head teachers should play an active role in the professional development of the teachers in their schools through encouraging them to undergo in-service training, head teachers needs to set a good example in classroom instruction and head teachers should be directly involved in material acquisition for use in instruction of their schools so as to ensure relevance and quality. This study has established that instructional leadership is useful in creating an effective teaching and learning environment as well as improving academic performance